Automatically clamping tongs for grasping plates and dishes



3,422,215. Ptentea July 11,1922,

MEET

e; STATES earner series.

RENE ALFRED JEAMMET-LEYRIT, OF IBILLANGOURT, NEAR PARIS, FRANCE.

Application filed October 22, 1920.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RENE ALFRED JEAM- Mn'r-LnYiur, citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Billancourt, near Paris, Seine, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically Clamping Tongs for Grasping Plates and Dishes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatically clamping tongs for grasping plates, dishes and the like, as well the smallest as the largest ones, and even the glasses, to obviate the necessity of the user dipping his hands into the very hot solution of soda usually employed for washing said plates, dishes, and the like.

These tongs may equally serve for transporting a very hot dish or plate.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, an embodiment of the same has been shown in the accompanying drawing as an illustrative, but not limitative example.

Fig. 1 is a partly sectional elevation of the tongs.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof.

The tongs consist of a handle 1, in which is arranged one end of a tube 2 held in position by means of the pin 3; this tube supports the fixed arm 4 upon which pivots,

around 5, the movable arm 6 which is terminated by a fore-nose 7 intended to lift up one side of the articles dipped into the water. before grasping the latter.

Qpon the fixed arm 1 is placed a buffer 8 constituted by a metallic cup, within which is located a plastic material, such as felt, rubber, or the like; this cup is pivoted at 9 by means of the stirrup 1O integral with it.

Above the buffer 8 is secured, upon the arm 6, a cross-bar 11, the ends of which are provided with hinges 12 receiving the stirrups 18 of the buffers 14, which, like the buffer 8, are coated with a plastic or semirigid material.

The automatic clamping is obtained by means of the slide 15 provided with two lugs 16, 17 sliding into slots 18, 19 provided respectively in the movable arm 6 and in the fixed arm 4. The slide 15 is constantly acted upon by a spring 20 enclosed into the tube 2 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1922.

Serial No. 418,808.

and is secured by the pin 21 to a tube 22 terminated by a handle 2-3, the pin 21 sliding into slots 24 provided in the tube 2.

F or opening these tongs, it suffices, while grasping the handle 1 by the hand, to pull, with the fingers, the handle 23 for moving the latter towards the handle 1, which will result in causing the lugs 16, 17 to slide in the slots 18, 19, thus causing the swinging apart of the movable arm 6 outwardly from the arm t. hen the arm 6 is in the opened position by manual manipulation of the tongs, it is possible to direct, by means of thefore-nose 7, any plate, dish, or the like, between the coated buffers 8 and 14:. If, at this moment, the handle 2-3 is released, the spring 20, forces back the slide 15, which results in causing the arm 6 to move in the closed position under the action of the lug 16, thus securely grasping the plate, dish, or the like. between the buffers 8 and 14, the pressure exerted by the spring being sufficient to support the heaviest plates, dishes, or the like.

The clamping device hereinbefore described may be applied to any kind of tongs for any kind of articles.

It will be understood that the invention is not strictly limited to the example described and shown, but that it might be modified, according to the requirements, as far as the forms. dimensions. proportions and materials are concerned.

Claim:

Automatically clamping tongs for grasping plates and dishes, characterized by a handle provided with a tube supporting a fixed arm, to the end of which is hinged a buffer coated with plastic material. upon which fixed arm is pivoted a movable arm provided with two buffers and with a fore- RENE ALFRED JEAMMET-LEYRIT. 

